Man suspected in May stabbing turns himself in

PEORIA — A man accused of stabbing another in the neck last month did so out of mistaken identity and was so wracked with guilt that he turned himself in this week, a prosecutor said Friday.

John E. Parker, 25, of 717 W. Nowland Ave., refused to take part in his bond hearing Friday which was held over video-conferencing monitors from the jail. He put his hands over his ears, rocked back and forth and wouldn’t answer questions from Judge Mark Gilles or the public defender.

When the hearing was over, he stood up and puffed out his inmate jumpsuit as he walked off camera.

Parker faces one count of attempted first-degree murder and two counts of aggravated battery for the May 18 stabbing of Zachary Benefield who suffered a single wound to the neck.

Assistant State’s Attorney Steve Pattelli told Gilles the stabbing occurred around 4:30 p.m. as Benefield, 18, was walking in the 2100 block of North Sheridan Road. Parker allegedly came up behind him and witnesses later told police they heard arguing before it appeared Parker punched Benefield in the neck. Parker then ran off.

When officers arrived, they found Benefield, bloodied by the wound, as well as the knife nearby. The teen was taken to the hospital where it was later found that he had damage to two discs in his neck due to the attack, Pattelli said in open court.

Police had little to go on as Benefield didn’t know his assailant. Parker went to the police station on Wednesday and admitted that he was the person behind the attack, Pattelli said in open court. He told police he thought Benefield was another person who owed him money and when he realized he wasn't, he felt guilty and turned himself him.

He told police he didn’t know Benefield.

Gilles set bond at $750,000 and scheduled a July 24 preliminary hearing. If convicted, Parker faces up to 30 years in prison.